The Nyon Grand Prix 2026 marked a new milestone for Sails of Change 10, which secured its very first victory on the TF35 circuit this weekend. In particularly unstable weather conditions, Duncan Späth’s crew demonstrated remarkable consistency to claim the win on Lake Geneva.
Over the course of three days, the teams had to contend with highly unpredictable winds, alternating between rain, sunshine, and long waiting periods on the water. With only four races completed throughout the weekend, every race carried crucial importance in an increasingly competitive fleet.
On Sunday, despite an attempted start early in the afternoon, the lack of wind ultimately forced the race committee to cancel the day’s racing after several hours of waiting. Saturday’s results were therefore confirmed, giving Sails of Change 10 the overall victory.
“This first Grand Prix victory feels really good,” explained Duncan Späth. “We’ve been waiting for this for quite some time. It brings great energy to the team and for what’s ahead.”
The Swiss skipper also highlighted the growing intensity of the competition this season: “The level keeps rising, and racing with seven boats makes things even more exciting. Everything is extremely close, so we need to stay precise and consistent in every race.”
For his part, Yann Guichard, skipper of Sails of Change 8, mainly emphasized the collective learning experience gained during this opening event of the season.
“The conditions were very complicated, at times foiling, at times not. We had an early start penalty in the first race and never really managed to find our rhythm, especially during a weekend where every detail mattered enormously.”
Despite finishing in seventh place overall, the assessment remains positive: “It’s not the result we were hoping for on paper, but seeing Duncan and his team secure this first victory is a real satisfaction for the team. They delivered a fantastic Grand Prix from start to finish.”
The arrival of new crew members also requires time to build strong onboard routines: “With Billy Besson and Matthieu Ravussin still discovering some of their reference points onboard, these light-wind conditions were particularly demanding. Communication is essential. We will continue progressing together in order to perform even better at the upcoming events.”
The TF35 season is now underway and promises an especially close battle throughout the year. The next event for the Sails of Change team will be the Mies Grand Prix on May 29 and 31, preceded by the Genève-Rolle-Genève race on May 30.
